Convertible body.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH S. WYETH, OF NEWARK, OHIO.

CONVERTIBLE BODY.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH S. VYn'rI-I, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Licking and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Bodies, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a convertible body for motor driven vehicle,and has for its principal object to provide a body structure which maybe conveniently and quickly adjusted to assume an open or extendedposition, whereby the body may be utilized for commercial or deliverypurposes, or to assume a folded or collapsed position to render thevehicle adaptable for ordinary touring or pleasure purposes, wherebywhen the body is folded to occupy this latter position, no objectionableparts thereof are exposed to the eye and the symmetry and gracefulappearance of the body preserved.

In carrying out the invention use is made of a body comprising astationary section and a swinging or movable section, said sectionsbeing so constructed that when the movable section is moved to assumeits open or extended position, the body is lengthened to its maximumextent and the storage capacity thereof is correspondingly increased,whereby various commodities may be placed in the body for transportationpurposes, and, conversely, when the said swinging section is oscillatedto assume its folded or inactive position the same will considerablyshorten the general proportions of the body by telescoping as it werewithin the stationary section, so that the body as a whole when in thislatter position will present an incased appearance with accompanyingpleasing outlines, and closely resembling the so called turtle back bodycommonly found upon automobiles of the roadster variety.

Another object of the invention resides in providing' the swingingsection with a plurality of guides at each end thereof, which guides areadapted to receive a removable end member, whereby the latter is capableof being employed to incase the rear extremity of the body in both itsfolded and eX- tended positions.

Further objects are to produce a convertible body lof the characterstated and of such construction as to be capable of being inexpensivelyand easily mounted in connection with a motor vehicle, of substantialand Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led May 29, 1918.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Serial No. 237,291.

eflicient construction, and capable of being conveniently manipulated toassume its dual positions.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the descriptionproceeds, the invention accordingly consists in the novel features ofconstruction, combination of elements, and arrangement of partshereinafter fully described and having the scope thereof defined by theappended claims.

In the drawing, wherein has been shown the preferred embodiment of theinvention:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the convertible vehicle bodycomprising the present invention and illustrating the latter in its openor extended position and adapted for delivery or commercial purposes,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional vievi1 taken through the vehicle bodywhen the same occupies the position shown in Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional View disclosing the body in its folded orinactive position, and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line lf-4 of Fig.3.

Similar characters of reference denote like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawing.

Referring more particularly to the details of the invention, the vehiclebody A comprising the present invention is preferably mounted upon therear of an underfralne l and also to the rear of the vehicle seat 2.WVhle, it will be understood, that thc body A is preferably adapted forvehicles of the roadster class and has been thus illustrated, it is notstrictly essential to adhere to this form of vehicle, as the body A withslight and unimportant modifications may be adapted with equal facilityto other forms or types of vehicles, but inasmuch as the roadster typeof vehicle admirably discloses the features of application of theinvention` the following description will be limited to that particularform.

The body A consists of a stationary section 3 and a foldable or movablesection 4,

each of the sections comprising base andv side walls 5 and 6respectively. The stationary section 8 is adapted to be secured in anysuitable manner upon the frame 1 and the forward end of this lattersection lushly engages, as shown, with the rear wall of the vehicle seat2. A ledge 7 is secured to the upper edges of the side 6 and extendstransversely of the section 3 and immediately adjacent to the seat 2;the function of this ledge will presently appear. The side walls of themodified section 4: are secured to corresponding walls of the stationarysection 3 by means of bolts 8, which pass centrally and transverselythrough said side walls, in the manner shown in Fig.` 4'. These boltsare preferably surrounded by means of sleeves 9, which permit of thefree oscillation of the movable section with respect to the stationarysection. Nuts or their equivalent 10 are carried upon the outer ends ofthe bolts S, and serve to retain the latter in their operativepositionswithin the sides 6.

The movable section 4 has its sides equipped with guides 11 which latterare located at each end of said section, and are adapted to receive aremovable end member 12, .which member is adapted to be shifted fro-mone set of guides to the other in accordance with the position occupiedby the movable section 4. Spring locking devices 13 are carried by thestationary section and are adapted to engage with the base of themovable section when the latter is oscillated to assume its foldedvposition, in order to prevent the latter from rattling.v or vibrating.

In operation, when it is desired to place the body A in condition forthe reception of commodities to be delivered, or `in other words toconvert the body to positions of utility, the movable section isoscillated about the bolts 8, until its base wall 5 registers or comesinto contact with the rear edge of the base wall forming a part of thestationary section. This limits further rearward or oscillating movementof the movable section, and as will be observed upon reference to Fig. 1extends or enlarges the receiving` area ofthe body A and opens thelatter to receive articles for transportation. When the movable sectionoccupies this eX- tended position, the end member 12 is moved to occupythe rear set of guides 11, for the obvious purpose of preventingarticles positioned .within the body from accidentally falling out orbecoming otherwise disposed. However, if the vehicle upon which the bodyis mounted is simply desired to be employed for ordinary pleasure ortouring purposes, the movable section is oscillated to fold or telescopewithin the stationary section 3, in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 3.This results in providing a body of standard a-ppea-rance and will notdisclose the fact that the vehicle can be usedV for commercial purposes,this being accomplished by preserving the graceful appearance of vehiclebodies employed merely for passenger services. The basewall of themovable section extends beyond the margins confined by its side walls 6,so that Vwhen said movable section is moved to assume its foldedposition, these extended marginal portions will engage ,with the upperedges of the side walls 6 formed upon the stationary section, thisresults in limiting the folding movement of the movable section.Furthermore, itV )will be noted that when in its folded position, thebase wall of the movable section will register with the ledge 7, thuspresenting an inclosed'body devoid of objectionable spaces or gaps.Prior to the moving of the section d to assume its folded position, theend member 12 is moved to occupy the 75 guides 11 located contiguous tothe bolts 8, so that when the section 4 finally occupies its foldedposition, said end member willbe located at the extreme rear end of thebody A, as shown in Fig. 3.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, it .will be perceived that there isV pro'- vided a vehicle bodyof considerable utility and desirability, as it enables a single vehicleto be employedv for purposes of transporting commodities or for ordinarypleasure use, hence overcoming the objection to placing a delivery bodyupon an ordinary passenger car. Y

I claim:

1. The combination with a vehicle body, of a receptacle located to therear of said body, said latter consisting of a stationary section and afoldable section, means for pivotally securing the latter section to thestationary section, whereby the foldable section may be oscillated toasume a collapsed position within said static-nary section or may beswung to assume an open and eX- tended position, and a back memberseparably carried by the foldable section and adapted to be inserted? ineither one'of ,a pairof guides located at each end of said lattersection.

2. The combination with a vehicle body, of a rearwardly situated strongreceptacle mounted upon said body, said receptacle comprising stationaryand foldable sections, each of said sections including base and side 110walls,.1neans for pivotally connecting the side walls of said sections,whereby when the foldable section is movedto asume an open position saidbase Iw-alls will meet to limit the swinging movement of the foldable115 section, and a removable rear member carried by said foldablesection and adapted to be situated in guides formedV at each end of saidlatter section.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 120

RALPH S. WYETH.

Copies nl this patent may be chtamed'ior ve cents each, byA addressingthel Commissioner or Patents,

1 Washington, D.' 0.

